Shetland Sheepdog
Pastor de Shetland
- Sizesmall
- Weight7.3–9.1 kg
- Lives12–14 years
- Popularity in Mexico★★
Character
Shetland Sheepdog temperament
A small dog from the herding group, in twelve traits from 1 to 5:
- Energymarathoner
- Affection with familyglued to you
- With kidsexcellent
- With other dogslife of the dog park
- With strangerswary
- Playfulnessplayful for life
- Guarding instinctborn guardian
- Adaptabilitysettles anywhere
- Trainabilitylearns on the fly
- Barkingreports everything
- Mental stimulation it needsneeds a job
- Prey driveno data yet
Distinguishing features
Shetland Sheepdog characteristics
- Ears
- semi-erect
- Height
- 33–41 cm
- Weight
- 7.3–9.1 kg
- Muzzle
- long
- Coat
- double coat
- Coat length
- long
- Colors
- sable, blue merle, tricolor, white and black
- Life expectancy
- 12–14 years
- Sheddingmiddle of the road
- Coat caremiddle of the road
Life expectancy
How long does a Shetland Sheepdog live?
12–14 years
The breed sets the range; how long each dog lives depends on its weight, its exercise, its teeth and its check-ups with the vet.
The long profile
Long profile, in Spanish for now
The long version of this breed — character, care and origins, in Lord Chucho's voice — exists in Spanish and hasn't been translated yet. The hard data on this page (traits, features, lifespan) is the same in both languages.
Buying guides
What to buy for a Shetland Sheepdog
What to buy, by what it needs:
What we'd give Choco
For a dog like this one
Affiliate links: it costs you the same. How they work (in Spanish)
AI image: the real product may vary KONG Classic
The classic that survives teenage-Labrador jaws. Stuff it with frozen treats and you just bought an hour of peace.
AI image: the real product may vary Chuckit! Ultra Ball
A ball that bounces evenly, floats and doesn't fall apart on day three. If your dog lives for the ball, this is THE ball.
AI image: the real product may vary Level-2 treat-dispensing puzzle
For the dog that's bored of everything: let it earn the kibble by thinking. Start at level 2; level 1 they solve in their sleep.
AI image: the real product may vary FURminator for double coats
On double-coated breeds it pulls out loose hair by the kilo. Your couch will thank you more than the dog will.
What people ask
Frequently asked questions about the Shetland Sheepdog
How big does a Shetland Sheepdog get?
An adult Shetland Sheepdog stands 33–41 cm at the withers and weighs 7.3–9.1 kg.
Does the Shetland Sheepdog need a lot of exercise?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 4 out of 5 on “Energy”: marathoner. On that scale, 1 is “couch potato” and 5 is “marathoner”.
Is the Shetland Sheepdog good with kids?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “With kids”: excellent. On that scale, 1 is “better without kids” and 5 is “excellent”. Even with a 5, no dog should be left alone with small children: supervising them is the adult's job.
Does the Shetland Sheepdog get along with other dogs?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “With other dogs”: life of the dog park. On that scale, 1 is “lone wolf” and 5 is “life of the dog park”.
Is the Shetland Sheepdog easy to train?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “Trainability”: learns on the fly. On that scale, 1 is “negotiates every command” and 5 is “learns on the fly”.
Does the Shetland Sheepdog bark a lot?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “Barking”: reports everything. On that scale, 1 is “nearly silent” and 5 is “reports everything”.
Is the Shetland Sheepdog a good guard dog?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “Guarding instinct”: born guardian. On that scale, 1 is “not a guardian” and 5 is “born guardian”.
Does the Shetland Sheepdog shed a lot?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 3 out of 5 on “Shedding”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “barely sheds” and 5 is “hair everywhere”.
Can a Shetland Sheepdog live in an apartment?
The Shetland Sheepdog scores 5 out of 5 on “Adaptability”: settles anywhere. On that scale, 1 is “needs its space and routine” and 5 is “settles anywhere”. An apartment is fine, being shut in is not: every dog needs to get out every day.
Health
We only publish each breed's health topics after reviewing them carefully. We guide you, but we're not your vet: if something about your dog worries you, the internet doesn't replace a visit to the vet.
Data on this page: 3 reference sources, including the AKC. See sources (in Spanish)